The invention relates to a method for producing an analytical tape, in particular a lancet tape. The invention also relates to an analytical tape and an analytical testing device which comprises such an analytical tape. Furthermore, an apparatus for producing an analytical tape is proposed. Such methods, analytical tapes, analytical testing devices and apparatuses are used in particular in medical diagnostics, for example by private individuals, in the care sector or in the hospital sector, in order to monitor a concentration of one or more analytes in a body fluid of a user, for example for monitoring a blood glucose concentration. Alternatively or in addition, other applications are also possible.
Various test methods are known for monitoring an analytical concentration in a body fluid of a user, for example a patient or a person susceptible to certain illnesses. For instance, there are known test methods in which, for example, the user must produce a specimen of the body fluid and investigate it for its analyte concentration seven times a day. In order that this need to investigate his or her body fluid, for example blood, does not impinge more than necessary on the users's daily routine, analytical testing devices which are easy and quick to handle and, for example, are configured as handheld devices have been developed.
In the meantime, there are known analytical testing devices which operate with one or more analytical tapes, to which a number of analytical aids have been applied and can be successively used. These analytical aids may comprise, for example, test pads by means of which a specimen of the body fluid can be investigated. Alternatively or in addition, the analytical aids may also comprise lancet elements, by means of which a prick or incision can be made in the user's skin in order in this way to produce a specimen of the body fluid. The present invention refers in particular to analytical tapes with a number of lancet elements, and to the production thereof.
One particular difficulty with such analytical tapes with lancet elements, which are also referred to hereafter as lancet tapes, is that of achieving defect-free and sterile production of these test tapes. The analytical testing devices generally have a transporting mechanism, for example a transporting mechanism with a gripper, by means of which a lancet element can be respectively positioned in a position for use. In order not to disturb the operating sequence of the analytical testing devices, the analytical tapes have to meet demanding requirements in terms of precision.
WO 2007/147494 A2 describes a system which comprises disposable medical elements and a packaging tape. The packaging tape comprises a plurality of chambers in which the disposable medical elements are accommodated. The tape is accommodated in the system in a folded state.
WO 2008/043565 A2 describes a sampling system with lancets, in which a protective cover is automatically removed from a lancet and a test pad is unpacked before said lancet is used. In this case, connecting adhesive tapes are used to apply the lancets to a supporting tape.
EP 1992284 A1 (see also US 2010/0292609 A1) discloses a method for magazining pricking elements and a tape magazine. In this case, a multiplicity of disposable lancets provided with a lancet tip for pricking the skin are provided wound up on a roller, or a supporting tape that can be wound up, for obtaining a specimen of body fluid. The lancets are respectively arranged in a package, the lancet packages formed in this way being individually applied to the supporting tape and fixed thereupon.
In the case of known test tapes, however, there is a technical challenge insofar as these test tapes can in practice present transporting difficulties in analytical testing devices that operate on an indexing principle, such as for example the analytical system described in WO 2008/138443 A1 (see also US 2010/0145376 A1). For instance, an indexing mechanism generally has a height-sensitive element which responds to the thickness of the analytical tape. This device is used for positioning the elements, for example the lancets. However, this mechanical sensor reacts when there is any change in thickness of the analytical tape. Consequently, in the case of the tapes known from the prior art, this may also take place at undesirable times, for example at an edge of a label in the analytical tapes according to EP 1992284 A1 (see also US 2010/0292609 A1) or at a folding edge, for example in the analytical tape described in WO 2008/043565 A2.